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Topic: Convert living with RC parents (Read 686 times)

I'm a college student who through careful study and prayer has come to embrace the teachings of the Orthodox Church and holds her beliefs as my own. However, I'm still living at home while I attend college and both of my parents are lifelong Roman Catholics and I've attended Mass with them nearly every week since I can remember. So far I haven't made my intent to convert to Orthodoxy a pressing issue with my family, but for the past three weeks I've been intending to attend Vespers and Matins at one of the local Orthodox churches yet every week something has come up with either my immediate or extended family (we have all gone through a hard loss in the past 3 months) that has prevented me from doing so.

I have three questions: What is the best way to discuss Orthodoxy with non-Orthodox family members? Would it be best to delay my outward conversion until I either have more freedom or things calm down? And, in the event that family events do prevent me from attending future divine services/liturgies what should I do?

Thank you, and God bless.

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All of my hope, I place in thee, O Mother of God; do preserve me under they shelter.

Welcome to the forum. Middle question first. What stage are you at? Have you talked to the Orthodox Priest about converting? There's really no hurry. It's relatively common for people to be inquirers for a year of more before becoming catechumen and to be catechumen for at least another year before joining the Church. So, I at least, would say there's no harm in taking things slow. Go to the Vespers and Matins as you indicated. Which brings us to the third question. If there's no hurry just keep planning to go. I would think you can't be stopped all the time, so if you can't make one go to the next. As to the first question I didn't have the kind of experience with that which you describe so someone else may be better equipped to help with that.

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Psalm 37:23 The Lord guides a man safely in the way he should go.

Prov. 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

I've had lengthy conversations with a local priest. It was his recommendation that I start attending the services on Saturday night to ease into Orthodox liturgical life. If I could attend with some consistency I'd be enrolled as a catechumen.

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All of my hope, I place in thee, O Mother of God; do preserve me under they shelter.

Ah, very good. Like I mentioned previously, there is time. Though I would be a terrible example to follow given my own impatience at the same stage, still for me patient or not, it happened in God's good time. If you may learn from me keep moving forward one step at a time, as your able, and give the timing to God.

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Psalm 37:23 The Lord guides a man safely in the way he should go.

Prov. 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

Since Orthodoxy isn't very different from Catholicism, it shouldn't come as too much a shock. Perhaps the best things to emphasize when telling them about the Orthodox Church is that it, like Catholicism believes that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. The Orthodox also have a strong veneration of the Mother of God and the Saints. Start of common ground I suppose.

I'm a college student who through careful study and prayer has come to embrace the teachings of the Orthodox Church and holds her beliefs as my own. However, I'm still living at home while I attend college and both of my parents are lifelong Roman Catholics and I've attended Mass with them nearly every week since I can remember. So far I haven't made my intent to convert to Orthodoxy a pressing issue with my family, but for the past three weeks I've been intending to attend Vespers and Matins at one of the local Orthodox churches yet every week something has come up with either my immediate or extended family (we have all gone through a hard loss in the past 3 months) that has prevented me from doing so.

I have three questions: What is the best way to discuss Orthodoxy with non-Orthodox family members? Would it be best to delay my outward conversion until I either have more freedom or things calm down? And, in the event that family events do prevent me from attending future divine services/liturgies what should I do?

Thank you, and God bless.

I know you want your parents to be supportive but be prepared for the worst. I say that because it may be a shock for them at first. Give them time to get use to the idea and let them see a change in you. A living example is always the best witness.

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The true Orthodox way of thought has always been historical, has always included the past, but has never been enslaved by it. . . for the strength of the Church is not in the past, present, or future, but in Christ.